Journal Entries

31 August 2010
Part 1:
“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is about a young couple and the issue of abortion. Though the word abortion is nowhere in the story, it is understood through the powerful use of setting and symbolism. The story ends with the couple expecting their train’s arrival in five minutes. There is no resolution and there is no decision stated regarding the abortion. The interweaving of setting and symbolism helps juice each sentence to provide maximum detail. This story was not only intended for the pleasures of reading, but also though provocation.   Intentionally the author left the readers to conclude for themselves what will happen next.   I believe based on the males character in this story and the happenings leading up to the ending that the women went through with the abortion. I believe this because before they were waiting on the arrival of the train the two were drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking, which also leads me to believe before they arrived to the train station and while traveling they were drinking as well. I really didn’t understand this story until I read it a couple times and asked some friends who have read this story to explain it to me. Once I got it and understood it I found the use of symbolism to be very intelligent and fitting.
Part 2:
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In the story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson the ending was a shock and never given up until the very ending. All the symbols leading up to the ending would have the reader believe that the people in the story were good people. The story took place during a clear and sunny day where the children were playing as they were happy school ended. The people of the village were gathering and greeting each other as they arrived to the town square. To the reader it seemed like a good thing was happening as no one would believe such simple people would be so violent.   Set in a very mundane town, where everyone knows... [continues]

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